My sweetheart Jean and I returned to Mt. Airy on Saturday of Labor Day weekend and I was one happy dude walkin down the main street in Mt. Airy. First we just barely made it into Snappy Lunch for a genuine Pork Chop sandwich and a visit with Mary Howell and her crew. They close at 1 PM. We posed for lots of pictures for a lot of customers with stunned looks on their faces. I just hollered out “I’m back!” and Almost Andy Griffith was back in business. We visited the Andy Griffith Museum and also the Mta. Airy Museum and ran into a lot of old friends and made some new ones. My major goal on this trip was to watch the drummer Tony Davis and the Legends of Beach in action that evening. Tony has become a hero of mine when we appear each year in a play called Remembering Mayberry. Tony plays a really hilarious Ernest T. Bass and I believe he is the funniest person I have ever appeared with onstage. Tony is truly an awesome drummer. The Legends of Beach was a humongous bonus. The stage was crowded with true legends of Beach Music. You can check them out at their home site http://www.legendsofbeach.com/fr_home.cfm
Songwriter and lead singer Jackie Gore made his chops years ago with the group called The Embers as did several members of the group. His greatest song was and is “I Love Beach Music”.
Tony came out in the audience to greet me and then he did a funny, funny bit as Ernest T. for the appreciative audience. The event was scheduled for the Amphitheater but a really strong rainstorm in the late afternoon made them reschedule it for The Andy Griffith Theatre. What a joy that was being in that theatre and recalling what fun it was appearing as Almost Andy there on four occasions.
Later I just about keeled over when Jackie Gore introduced me to the audience as “the best Andy Griffith look alike ever” and he then dedicated their concert to me.
I do hope that every one of you gets such a surprise this year. That warm glow will last me all winter long.
May God Bless America and bring us a lasting peace throughout the world.
What fun! Sounds like the three of you had blast. All the best, Art!